Hand pump having electric generator

ABSTRACT

A hand pump includes a piston slidably engaged in a housing and coupled to a piston rod, a handle attached to the piston rod for moving the piston along the housing in the reciprocating action in order to pump and generate a pressurized air and to supply the pressurized air out through the outlet port of the housing, the piston is selected from a magnetic member, and a coil is engaged onto the housing and disposed around the piston for generating an electrical energy when the piston is moved relative to the housing and the coil. The piston includes one or more recesses for receiving the pressurized air and for buffering purposes. A cover is attached to the housing and includes a space for buffering purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hand pump or air pump, and more particularly to a hand pump or air pump including an electric or electrical generating mechanism for suitably generating an electrical energy while the user is actuating or operating the hand pump, and for suitably supplying the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical hand pumps or air pumps comprise a tubular or cylindrical housing including a stand, such as a foldable or collapsible stand attached or mounted or secured to the bottom portion thereof for supporting the tubular or cylindrical housing in or at an upright status, and a handle, such as a foldable or collapsible handle attached or mounted or secured to the upper portion thereof for actuating or operating the piston to slide or to move in a reciprocating action within the tubular or cylindrical housing in order to pump or to force and to generate the pressurized air and to supply the pressurized air out of the tubular or cylindrical housing.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,687 to Krehbiel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,461 to Bouder, U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,839 to Flagg, U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,234 to Chuang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,264 to Wu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,129 to Wang, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,768 to Wu disclose several of the typical hand pumps or air pumps each comprising a tubular or cylindrical housing including a bottom stand or base, and a foldable or collapsible handle attached or mounted or secured to the upper portion thereof for actuating or operating the piston to move in a reciprocating action within the tubular or cylindrical housing in order to pump and to generate a pressurized air to inflate various objects, such as balls, tires and the like.

However, the reciprocating action between the piston and the tubular or cylindrical housing may only be used to generate the pressurized air, but may not be used to generate the electrical energy.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hand pumps or air pumps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hand pump or air pump including an electric or electrical generating mechanism for suitably generating an electrical energy while the user is actuating or operating the hand pump, and for suitably supplying the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a hand pump comprising a housing including a chamber formed therein, and including an outlet port provided therein, a piston slidably received and engaged in the chamber of the housing and movable along the chamber of the housing in a reciprocating action in order to pump and generate a pressurized air and to supply the pressurized air out through the outlet port of the housing, a piston rod including an inner end portion attached to the piston for actuating the piston to move along the chamber of the housing in the reciprocating action, and including an outer end portion extendible out of the housing, and a handle attached to the outer end portion of the piston rod for actuating the piston to move along the chamber of the housing in the reciprocating action, the piston is selected from a magnetic member or a magnetic material, and a coil is engaged onto the housing and disposed around the piston for generating an electrical energy when the piston is moved relative to the housing and the coil.

The handle is pivotally attached to the outer end portion of the piston rod with a pivot shaft for allowing the handle to be pivoted relative to the piston rod. The inner end portion of the handle is attached to the piston with a threading engagement or the like. The piston includes at least one recess formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing for receiving the pressurized air and for buffering purposes.

The housing includes a first end portion having the outlet port formed in the first end of the housing, and the housing includes a second end portion. The housing includes a cap attached or engaged onto the second end portion of the housing, and the cap includes an opening or bore formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing for slidably receiving and engaging with the piston rod.

The housing includes a cover attached to the first end portion of the housing, and the cover includes a compartment formed therein and aligned with and communicating with the outlet port of the housing, and a mouth piece is attached to the housing and engaged into the outlet port of the housing, and engaged into the compartment of the cover for allowing the air to flow out through the mouth piece.

The mouth piece includes a soft or resilient gasket engaged therein. The cover includes a peripheral flange extended radially and outwardly therefrom for engaging with the housing and for anchoring or positioning the cover to the housing. The cover includes a channel formed therein and communicating with the compartment of the cover and the chamber of the housing and for allowing the air to flow from the chamber of the housing into the compartment of the cover.

The cover includes a check valve device engaged in the channel of the cover for guiding and limiting the air to flow only from the chamber of the housing into the compartment of the cover, and for preventing the air from flowing backward from the compartment of the cover into the chamber of the housing. The cover includes a space formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing for receiving the pressurized air and for buffering purposes.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an partial exploded view of a hand pump or air pump in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hand pump or air pump, in a folded or storing structure or status or position;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the hand pump or air pump, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the actuating or operation of the hand pump or air pump;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical circuit of the electrical generating mechanism of the hand pump or air pump;

FIG. 6 is another partial exploded view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the other arrangement of the hand pump or air pump;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hand pump or air pump as shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the hand pump or air pump as shown in FIGS. 6-7, taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a hand pump or air pump in accordance with the present invention comprises a tubular or cylindrical housing 10 including a compartment or chamber 11 formed therein (FIGS. 3-4) for slidably receiving or engaging with a piston 20, and including an exit or outlet port 12 formed or provided in one or first end portion 13 of the housing 10, such as formed or provided in the upper portion 13 of the housing 10 for air outwardly flowing or discharging purposes, and including a lid or cap 21 attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the other or second end portion 14 of the housing 10, such as the bottom or lower portion 14 of the housing 10 with such as a threading engagement 22 or the like for enclosing or blocking the other or second end portion 14 of the housing 10, the cap 21 includes a compartment or bore 23 formed therein and communicating with the chamber 11 of the housing 10, and a sealing ring 24 is attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the piston 20 and slidably contacted or engaged with the housing 10 for making an air tight seal between the piston 20 and the housing 10.

The above-described structure or configuration for the housing 10 and the piston 20 is typical and will not be described in further details. Another lid or cap or cover 30 is further provided and attached or mounted or secured or engaged into the one or first end portion 13 of the housing 10, and includes a peripheral flange 31 extended radially and outwardly therefrom for contacting or engaging with the housing 10 and for anchoring or retaining or positioning the cover 30 to the housing 10 and for preventing the cover 30 from being disengaged or separated from the housing 10 and/or from being fully or completely engaged into the chamber 11 of the housing 10. The cover 30 includes a chamber or compartment 32 formed therein and aligned with or communicating with the outlet port 12 of the housing 10, and includes a passage or groove or conduit or channel 33 formed or provided in the cover 30 and communicating with the compartment 32 of the cover 30 and the chamber 11 of the housing 10 and for allowing the air to flow from the chamber 11 of the housing 10 into the compartment 32 of the cover 30 and then to flow out through the outlet port 12 of the housing 10.

One or more (such as two) further sealing rings 34, 35 may be attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the cover 30 and contacted or engaged with the housing 10 for making an air tight seal between the cover 30 and the housing 10. The cover 30 further includes a check valve device 36 disposed or engaged in the channel 33 of the cover 30 for guiding and limiting the air to flow only from the chamber 11 of the housing 10 into the compartment 32 of the cover 30, and for preventing the air from flowing backward from the compartment 32 of the cover 30 into the chamber 11 of the housing 10. A mouth piece 37 is attached or mounted or secured to the housing 10 and engaged into the outlet port 12 of the housing 10, and also engaged into the compartment 32 of the cover 30 for engaging with various kinds of air inflatable facilities or devices (not shown) and for filling or supplying the pressurized air to inflate the inflatable facilities or devices. The mouth piece 37 includes a soft or resilient gasket 38 disposed or engaged therein for snuggly fitting or engaging with the inflatable facilities or devices for making an air tight seal between the mouth piece 37 and the inflatable facilities or devices.

A piston rod 50 is slidably engaged through the bore 23 of the cap 21 or of the housing 10, and includes a first or one end or inner end portion 51 attached or mounted or secured to the piston 20 with such as a threading engagement 52, for actuating or operating the piston 20 to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 10 in a reciprocating action (FIG. 4) in order to pump and to generate the pressurized air and to supply the pressurized air out through the outlet port 12 of the housing 10 and the mouth piece 37, and includes a second or outer end portion 53 extended out of the other or second end portion 14 of the housing 10 and pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured or coupled to a hand grip or handle 54 with such as a pivot shaft 55, in which the handle 54 may be provided for actuating or operating the piston 20 to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 10 in the reciprocating action. It is preferable that the piston 20 includes one or more (such as two) notches or cavities or depressions or recesses 25 formed therein (FIG. 1) and communicating with the chamber 11 of the housing 10, and/or the cover 30 includes a space or cavity or space 39 formed therein (FIGS. 3-4) and communicating with the chamber 11 of the housing 10 for receiving the pressurized air and for buffering purposes.

The piston 20 is magnetized or is made of magnetic materials or is selected from a magnetic member, such as a permanent magnetic member, and a coil 60 is attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the housing 10 and disposed or arranged or located around the piston 20 for suitably generating an electrical energy while the piston 20 is slid or moved relative to the housing 10 and the coil 60. An outer cover or shield 61 is further provided and attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the coil 60 for covering or shielding or protecting the coil 60 and for preventing the coil 60 from being rusted or damaged by the moisture or humid air in the environment. In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the piston 20 is actuated or operated to slide and move along the chamber 11 of the housing 10 in the reciprocating action, the pressurized air may be pumped and generated and may be supplied out through the outlet port 12 of the housing 10 and then may flow out through the mouth piece 37 and then into the inflatable facilities or devices.

In addition, when the piston 20 that is magnetized or is made of magnetic materials or is selected from a magnetic member is actuated or operated to slide or to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 10 in the reciprocating action, the piston 20 may also be moved relative to the housing 10 and the coil 60 in the reciprocating action and thus may suitably generate and supply the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities. As shown in FIG. 5, the hand pump or air pump further includes a storage mechanism or member or device 62, such as a battery 62 or the like, electrically connected or coupled to the coil 60 for receiving or obtaining the electrical energy form the coil 60 and for suitably storing and supplying the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the housing 100 includes a foot stand 15, such as a foldable or collapsible or stable or solid foot stand 15 attached or mounted or secured to the bottom or lower portion or other or second end portion 14 of the housing 100 for supporting the housing 100 in or at an upright status or working position, and includes a cap 210 attached or mounted or secured or engaged onto the one or first end portion or the upper portion 13 of the housing 100, and having the bore 23 formed in the cap 210 for slidably receiving or engaging with the piston rod 500, and having one or more (such as two) depressions or recesses or notches 26 formed in the cap 210, the bottom or lower portion or first or one end or inner end portion 51 the piston rod 500 is attached or mounted or secured to the piston 200 which is also magnetized or made of magnetic materials or selected from a magnetic member, such as a permanent magnetic member, the piston 200 includes a space or cavity 27 formed therein (FIG. 8) and communicating with the chamber 11 of the housing 100 for receiving the pressurized air and for buffering purposes.

The piston rod 500 includes a hand grip or handle 56 attached or mounted or secured or coupled to the second or outer end portion 53 of the piston rod 500 for actuating or operating the piston 200 to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 100 in the reciprocating action, and also for actuating or operating or moving the piston 200 relative to the housing 100 and the coil 60 in the reciprocating action and thus to suitably generate and supply the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities. The housing 100 further includes an exit or outlet port 120 formed or provided in the bottom or lower portion or other or second end portion 14 of the housing 100 for connecting or coupling to a hose 70 for receiving the pressurized air from the housing 100, and a tap or mouth or nozzle 71 is attached or mounted or secured or coupled to the hose 70 and includes a mouth piece 72 attached or mounted or secured to the mouth piece 72 for engaging with various kinds of air inflatable facilities or devices (not shown) and for filling or supplying the pressurized air to inflate the inflatable facilities or devices. The mouth piece 72 includes a handle or hand grip 73 attached thereto for solidly and stably latching or locking the inflatable facilities or devices to the mouth piece 72.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 8, when the piston 200 is actuated or operated to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 100 in the reciprocating action, the pressurized air may be pumped and generated and may be supplied out through the outlet port 120 of the housing 100 and the hose 70 and then through the mouth piece 72 and then into the inflatable facilities or devices. In addition, when the piston 200 that is magnetized or made of magnetic materials or selected from a magnetic member is actuated or operated to move along the chamber 11 of the housing 100 in the reciprocating action, the piston 200 may also be moved relative to the housing 100 and the coil 60 in the reciprocating action and thus may suitably generate and supply the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities. The hose 70 may be engaged with the notches 26 of the cap 210 for storing purposes, or for organizing the hose 70.

Accordingly, the hand pump or air pump in accordance with the present invention includes an electric or electrical generating mechanism for suitably generating an electrical energy while the user is actuating or operating the hand pump, and for suitably supplying the electrical energy to energize various electrical facilities.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A hand pump comprising: a housing including a chamber formed therein, and including an outlet port provided therein, a piston slidably received and engaged in said chamber of said housing and movable along said chamber of said housing in a reciprocating action in order to pump and generate a pressurized air and to supply the pressurized air out through said outlet port of said housing, a piston rod including an inner end portion attached to said piston for actuating said piston to move along said chamber of said housing in the reciprocating action, and including an outer end portion extendible out of said housing, and a handle attached to said outer end portion of said piston rod for actuating said piston to move along said chamber of said housing in the reciprocating action, wherein: said piston is selected from a magnetic member, and a coil is engaged onto said housing and disposed around said piston for generating an electrical energy when said piston is moved relative to said housing and said coil.
 2. The hand pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is pivotally attached to said outer end portion of said piston rod with a pivot shaft.
 3. The hand pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inner end portion of said handle is attached to said piston with a threading engagement.
 4. The hand pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piston includes at least one recess formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.
 5. The hand pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a first end portion having said outlet port formed in said first end of said housing, and said housing includes a second end portion.
 6. The hand pump as claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing includes a cap attached to said second end portion of said housing, and said cap includes a bore formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing for slidably receiving and engaging with said piston rod.
 7. The hand pump as claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing includes a cover attached to said first end portion of said housing, and said cover includes a compartment formed therein and aligned with and communicating with said outlet port of said housing, and a mouth piece is attached to said housing and engaged into said outlet port of said housing, and engaged into said compartment of said cover.
 8. The hand pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mouth piece includes a gasket engaged therein.
 9. The hand pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cover includes a peripheral flange extended radially and outwardly therefrom for engaging with said housing and for positioning said cover to said housing.
 10. The hand pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cover includes a channel formed therein and communicating with said compartment of said cover and said chamber of said housing and for allowing the air to flow from said chamber of said housing into said compartment of said cover.
 11. The hand pump as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover includes a check valve device engaged in said channel of said cover for guiding and limiting the air to flow only from said chamber of said housing into said compartment of said cover, and for preventing the air from flowing backward from said compartment of said cover into said chamber of said housing.
 12. The hand pump as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cover includes a space formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.
 13. The hand pump as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a storage device electrically connected to said coil. 